Winter time options in NE Ohio

[BillsPrius]

I'd like to hear what people think about winter options as it applies to NE Ohio. I live in SE Portage County (near Ravenna) and commute to Cleveland Hopkins area.

Wondering about the need to switch to snow tires or if factory is good enough for our general winters (I got the Avid S33D on mine).

Also wondering if grill blocking and engine heaters make that big of a difference here as well.

I'm sure these answers would vary greatly around the US so am trying to get answers at least comparable to northern Ohio winters.

Love to hear your comments!
Bill

[Bica2go]

Hey! My outlaws are in Mentor and we'll be driving out from Boston for the holidays.

You're in a snow belt and with that commute I'd probably opt for snow tires for the margin of safety. I'm on the fence about getting snow tires this winter since my tires are new, but I typically work from home. I can set the time to go to the office so I easily avoid nasty conditions and traffic and it's only 8 miles away. My biggest fear - the 9hr ride across NY, PA and into OH going through Syracuse, Buffalo and Erie!

Grill blocking is inexpensive (it cost me $2 in materials). I'll be blocking my lower grill soon. We're down in the 30's at night and up to the 50's on a good day. I've noticed a drop in mileage already. Between work, rain and raking leaves for the town pickup, I just haven't had a chance to put it in. I don't have a garage so an engine block heater won't work for me. I'm not certain I'd do it anyway.

This thread has the Consumer Reports review of winter tires in case you decide to pursue that option: Snow Tire recommendations

[wvgasguy]

Originally Posted by BillsPrius

I'd like to hear what people think about winter options as it applies to NE Ohio. I live in SE Portage County (near Ravenna) and commute to Cleveland Hopkins area.

Wondering about the need to switch to snow tires or if factory is good enough for our general winters (I got the Avid S33D on mine).

Bill

I started to reply yesterday but didn't want to sound like a smart@$$ so I thought I'd wait to see if anyone gave you additional good information. You're new here so I'll go ahead and give it a try.

First, a general question seldom gets you a usable response. No one knows the route you take or the terrain you drive in NE Ohio. Even your neighbor may have different needs than you. So with that in mind I would simply ask you, do you normally use snow tires? If so, I would recommend them for your Prius as well. If you plan to keep the Prius long term and can get several years out of a set of tires then you really don't spend that much incrementally by rotating them out seasonally. I would suggest picking up an extra set of wheels.

As for the AVID's you might go to The Tire Track and see what the ratings are for snow versus what you typically drive.

As for the Prius and the traction control, there are some newer threads on this, but the 2010 is a new system that is supposed to be better than previously, allowing some spin from what I saw on the video posted recently. For me though, if I lived in an area with lake effect snow, I would want dedicated snow tires. You'll have better traction and as long as you have traction then the traction control system should not shut you down. There are several winter tires available for the Prius even in the 17" size.

I have the Bridgestones and past experience on my TCH and looking at the tread tells me they will be worthless in snow.

[qbee42]

Good all season tires should work for that area. I lived in Mentor and Mentor-on-the-lake for many years.

Tom

[wvgasguy]

Originally Posted by qbee42

Good all season tires should work for that area. I lived in Mentor and Mentor-on-the-lake for many years.

Tom

That's OK, but if you plan to run them all year you'd lose the performance of the low rolling resistance tires. If you just plan to run them in the winter then why not go ahead and buy winter tires?

[mindmachine]

Originally Posted by wvgasguy

That's OK, but if you plan to run them all year you'd lose the performance of the low rolling resistance tires. If you just plan to run them in the winter then why not go ahead and buy winter tires?

Well if it were just a set of tires I would agree, but you need another set of rims and oh you also need another set of TPMS "sensors" and the sensors will cost as much if not more then the tires. Plus every time you change back and forth you will have to pay your Toyota dealer to reregister the sensors, since the Prius can only deal with one set of sensors.

[spiderman]

Originally Posted by mindmachine

oh you also need another set of TPMS "sensors" and the sensors will cost as much if not more then the tires. Plus every time you change back and forth you will have to pay your Toyota dealer to reregister the sensors, since the Prius can only deal with one set of sensors.

... or ignore the TPMS light as I am doing.

[wvgasguy]

Originally Posted by mindmachine

Well if it were just a set of tires I would agree, but you need another set of rims and oh you also need another set of TPMS "sensors" and the sensors will cost as much if not more then the tires. Plus every time you change back and forth you will have to pay your Toyota dealer to reregister the sensors, since the Prius can only deal with one set of sensors.

I've driven without sensors for 40 years I can live without them on my snow tires. You don't have to have a second set of rims, but for long term use I think it might pay. You can get a set of Scion TC rins that looks good for around $200.

[wvgasguy]

Originally Posted by mindmachine

Well if it were just a set of tires I would agree, but you need another set of rims and oh you also need another set of TPMS "sensors" and the sensors will cost as much if not more then the tires. Plus every time you change back and forth you will have to pay your Toyota dealer to reregister the sensors, since the Prius can only deal with one set of sensors.

.... and some people simply pay to have them mounted each year on thier rims w/ the sensors. Do it when the car is in for service and a rotation and it's no big deal.

[qbee42]

Originally Posted by wvgasguy

That's OK, but if you plan to run them all year you'd lose the performance of the low rolling resistance tires. If you just plan to run them in the winter then why not go ahead and buy winter tires?

Certainly snow tires are better winter tires than all season tires, but for Cleveland weather it's not worth the cost and bother of switching tires and rims. Traffic will come to a standstill long before you need the snow tires. Cleveland winter traffic moves at the speed of weakest link, which is always someone with an old rear wheel drive junker with bald tires.

Tom